The invention relates to an input device having a surface that is displaceable along an axis, to a computer comprising such an input device, and to a graphical user interface having a spatial appearance.
Displays that are able to display a two-dimensional image are widely used these days. These displays frequently display graphical user interfaces in which windows are superimposed, such as in the operating systems Mac OS by Apple Inc. or Windows by Microsoft Inc. This superimposition generates the impression for the user as if the windows were arranged in front of or behind each other. In addition, displays are known which display representations in such a way that a three-dimensional spatial impression of the representation is created for a user. Such displays likewise give the user the impression of objects appearing to be in front of and behind other objects. The terms in front of and behind, or in front of and behind each other, used herein, refer both to cases in which objects (such as windows) are only displayed two-dimensionally, as described above, or to displays that generate a three-dimensional impression, as is also described above. To the user, objects located further toward the back appear to be located “deeper.”
A device for entering data is known from US 2008/0120568 A1, which displays a graphical user interface on a screen and uses three-dimensional movements of a pointer. A different graphical user interface is selected as a function of the layer of space above the device that the pointer is located in. The pointer is moved on the screen so as to interact with the selected user interface. The three-dimensional position of the pointer is detected by way of two cameras.
This device not only has the drawback that a pointer is required for input, but also that the detection of the pointer is carried out by way of two cameras, which are susceptible to soiling and scratching. Moreover, the operation is not intuitive insofar as the pointer must be moved on the screen for interaction.
It is the object of the invention to overcome the above-described drawbacks of the prior art.
This and objects of the invention are achieved by an input device, comprising: a touch-sensitive surface and an attachment structure for attaching the surface, wherein the surface is assigned to a plane and the attachment structure is configured to allow a displacement of the surface along an axis perpendicular to the assigned plane. The surface assumes a first position and, by displacement, a second position that is different from the first position.
The touch-sensitive surface is configured to receive touch inputs and can be what is known as a touch pad or a touch screen, optionally even a touch-sensitive autostereoscopic display for representing three-dimensional content. The surface is displaced along or counter to a displacement direction. The surface is, in particular, flat and located in the plane assigned to the surface. The surface can thus be displaced perpendicularly to the extension thereof. In other words, the surface is retractable. Even in the case of a curved surface, the assigned plane is preferably selected so that, during displacement, the impression is created for the user as if the surface were retractable. The plane is frequently selected so as to be horizontal in the case of a fixedly installed input device.
In this way, the user is provided with a touch-sensitive surface that can take on two different positions for the user, which the user can easily associate with the concept of “depth.” These different positions of the surface can, in turn, be associated with objects of a graphical user interface that are disposed in front of or behind each other. The objects of the user interface can be windows or desktops, or planes of a three-dimensional user interface. Depending on the position of the surface, a touch input can be carried out on the surface for the object associated with the position. In other words: lower positioning of the surface results in the selection of a deeper object of the user interface The touch input can be that of varying the position of the touch input on the surface, whereby the position of a pointer relative to the object (for example in a window or an associated plane) is varied.
For inputting, the user does not need a pointer, but can carry out the input with a finger, for example. In addition, no cameras are required for detecting the position of the finger; this is achieved via the touch-sensitive surface, which can be designed to be considerably more resistant to soiling or scratching. The input of objects disposed in front of or behind each other is intuitive for the user since a connection can be established between the retracted state, or in other words the depth level, of the touch-sensitive surface and the depth of the input in the user interface, or the selection of a front or rear object.
The attachment structure preferably comprises a guide, in particular a guide rail. The touch-sensitive surface can be attached to multiple points of the edges by way of the guide, in particular in a housing.
The input device advantageously further includes a position sensor, which is configured to detect whether the surface is in the first or second position. The position sensor can be a potentiometer, a Hall effect sensor, a light barrier or the like. Moreover, the position sensor can be configured to continuously detect the position of the surface and optionally associate this with a first or second position area, wherein the position areas in turn are associated with the first or second position.
The input device, and in particular the surface and the attachment structure, can generally be configured to allow the surface to assume more than two positions, for example three, four or five positions. Each of these positions can then be assigned an object of the user interface that is located further toward the front or further toward the back. The input device, and in particular the surface and the attachment structure, can likewise be configured for the surface to continuously, which is to say in a stepless manner, assume positions that, optionally, are continuously detected by the position sensor. Each detected position can then be associated with a “depth” or plane of a user interface, in particular a three-dimensional user interface. In other words, a rule exists for continuously associating the position of the surface with a “depth” or plane of a user interface.
In one refinement, the input device includes a force exerting device which exerts forces on the surface parallel to the axis, wherein the forces, in particular, can be perceived at varying levels as a function of the position of the surface. The input device can thus provide the user with counter forces or counter pressure during the displacement of the touch-sensitive surface. The exerted forces are oriented in or counter to the displacement direction. This makes it possible for forces to be exerted that are easily perceived by the person via the hand or finger, which provide the user of the input device with feedback. The force exerting device can be designed so that the forces exerted on the surface are particularly high (but not insurmountable) when the surface has assumed the first or second position. By way of these forces, the user can be provided with an indication that the surface is in the first or second position. In this case, the force is oriented counter to the displacement direction of the surface caused by the user. In some cases, a so-called lock is provided by this mechanism.
The force exerting device can include mechanical springs, an electric motor, a magnet and/or a solenoid. These are used in the manner known per se to exert the forces on the surface. In particular, the surface can also comprise magnets (solenoids), and the magnets (solenoids) of the force exerting device can be disposed (and activated) in such a way that they generate a locking position of the surface (without a fixed stop).
The force exerting device is advantageously configured to exert forces in such a way that the surface remains in the first and/or second position without forces being exerted by a user on the surface, and that the surface does not remain in the first or second position without forces being exerted by the user, wherein the force exerting device is, in particular, configured to generate locking positions for the surface.
A computer comprises: an input device as described above, having a position sensor; an electronic arithmetic unit (processor); and a display, which is configured to display a graphical user interface. The user interface generates the impression for a user as if a first object were disposed spatially in front of a second object. The electronic arithmetic unit is configured to receive the position of the surface and associate the first position of the surface with the first object and associate the second position of the surface with the second object.
In this way, the user is provided with an intuitive connection between the spatial position of the input device and the seemingly spatial position of the objects of the user interface. For example, it may be provided that a retraction of the touch-sensitive surface from a first position into a second position results in an object of the user interface that is located further toward the back, where this enables inputs/positioning of a pointer.
It may further be provided that the surface can assume a third position and that the electronic arithmetic unit is configured to associate the third position of the surface with a third object, which is disposed spatially behind the second object. It may likewise be provided that the surface can continuously assume positions that are likewise continuously associated with objects, for example the depth of a three-dimensional user interface.
The display can be a typical LCD monitor, an autostereoscopic display for three-dimensional displays, or a display having shutter glasses to be used for a three-dimensional display, but also a head-mounted display, in particular a binocular head-mounted display. The displayed objects can be windows, icons, desktops, or planes in a three-dimensional user interface. In particular, planes that are disposed behind each other in a dedicated manner can be provided in a three-dimensional user interface.
In one variant, the first position of the surface is in front of the second position of the surface for the user, or the first position of the surface is behind the second position of the surface for the user.
In one advantageous embodiment, the first object comprises an area, in particular a window, and the arithmetic unit is configured to receive the position of a touch of the surface and to associate the position of the touch with a position in the area of the first object.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.